Saturday, February 07, 2009

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Big Sur Day Trip


This is a map of my trip.

Point Lobos Sign


Point Lobos Sign, originally uploaded by kimberzy.



Click HERE to view the park's website.

Point Lobos State Reserve


Point Lobos State Reserve (22), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Point Lobos gets its name from from the offshore rocks at Punta de los Lobos Marinos, Point of the Sea Wolves. This park has often been called the crown jewel of the State Park system. It offers scenic trails, lovely beaches, Scuba Diving, photo ops, and wildlife viewing, to name a few.

Point Lobos State Reserve is part of the State Park system. The entry fee for vehicles is $10. But be sure to get there early. The park allows only a specific amount of vehicles in the park at any time.

Point Lobos is located just south of Carmel, CA, along Highway 1.

Point Lobos State Reserve - Tidepool

There are lots of little tidepools in the park.

Point Lobos State Reserve - Mule Deer

I spotted some deer in the park. They didn't seem to mind me taking their photo. Maybe a little curious, but they didn't run away.

Point Lobos State Reserve - Whaler's Cove


Point Lobos State Reserve (27), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This lovely spot can be seen by climbing some stairs to the top of a lookout point. There were more steps leading to a higher point, but the wind was so chilly that I had to turn back. I had left my coat in the car - lol.

17 Mile Drive - Point Joe


17 Mile Drive - Point Joe, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Point Joe is #7 on 17 Mile Drive's points of interest map. Early sailors often crashed on these rocks, thinking they had entered Monterey Bay.

17 Mile Drive is located in the town of Carmel. It costs $9.25 to enter. But it is $9.25 well spent.



To view an interactive map, click HERE.

17 Mile Drive - Bird Rock (7)


17 Mile Drive - Bird Rock (7), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Looks like most of the birds have congregated on this smaller rock.

17 Mile Drive - Bird Rock


17 Mile Drive - Bird Rock, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This landmark along 17 Mile Drive is called Bird Rock, but it looks more like Sea Lion Rock to me.

17 Mile Drive - Bird Rock - Pelicans

Pelicans float on the ocean at Bird Rock.

17 Mile Drive - Cypress Point Lookout - Harbor Seals (2)

Harbor seals sun themselves at Cypress Point Lookout.

17 Mile Drive - Lone Cypress

The Lone Cypress is the official symbol of Pebble Beach. The Monterey Cypress is a species endemic to the central coast of California. There are 2 small forests in Monterey and Carmel, and some of the trees from these forests are as old as 2000 years.

17 Mile Drive - Pescadero Point

Pescadero Point is #18 on the 17 Mile Drive points of interest map. A lot of white-washed trees can be seen here.

Big Sur Coastline


big Sur (6), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Big Sur has no specific boundaries, although some sources define it as the area between Carmel, CA and Ragged Point, which is a short distance north of San Simeon, CA. It is, indeed, a beautiful drive. There are many stopping points along the drive to let tourists, like me, take photos like this.

Bixby Bridge


Bixby Bridge (5), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Bixby Bridge, completed in 1932, is 714 feet long and over 280 feet high. It is one of the most photographed places along the west coast, and has been frequently used in car commercials. It is located on Highway 1, about 13 miles south of Carmel, CA.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - McWay Waterfall

The McWay waterfall is fed from springs from McWay Creek, and it flows year round. The fall drops 80 feet to a little cove in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, located on Highway 1 about 37 miles south of Carmel. The beach is not accessible to hikers, but there is a 1/4 mile easy trail to the overlook where you can view the waterfall. The park is open year-round and costs $10 to park. When I went yesterday, there was limited parking, as one of the lots was closed, most likely due to last year's wildfire. There is parking along the highway though. It is definitely a little gem along Highway 1, and one not to be missed.

Click HERE to visit the park's website